Valve



Feb. 25, 1941. R. H. zlNKu. ETAL 212335236 VALVE Filed June 10, 1940 Patented Feb. 25, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,333,236 VALVE Application June 10,

Claims.

This invention relates to a valve and more particularly to a relatively quiet control stop valve in which a positive stop or closure member is utilized in combination with a resilient .throttling 5 `member and in which the manufacture thereof is relatively simplified so as to avoid the usual need for close tolerances in devices of this type.

An important object of our invention is to provide a valve for use preferably, though not necessarily, on a domestic Water pipeline which will serve the dual purpose of completely shutting off the flow of uid through the pipeline and of silencing the noises inherent in such pipelines when iluid ows therethrough at relatively high velocities in addition to being self-cleaning during the course of operation.

Another object is to provide a valve in which a resilient throttling member, comprising a plurality of laminated annular spring elements, is adjustably mounted with respect to the position of the closure member. y

It is recognized that, in general, alleged resilient throttling and silencing members have been previously known and used as evidenced by the United States Patent to Ericson, #1,833,518, for example, but to our knowledge no one has previously devised a compact and economical resilient silencing and throttling member which cooperates directly with the closure member and is in substantial axial alignment therewith to provide a conveniently operable device.

Further objects and advantages of the invention Will appear as the following specific descriptions of the various embodiments are read vin connection with the accompanying drawing, in Which- Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a valve embodying our invention showing a removable cage for retaining the plurality of laminated annular spring elements or washers comprising the combined silencing and throttling member.

Fig. 2 is a Vertical sectional view of a valve similar to Fig. 1 with the exception that the retaining cage is integral with the valve casing and the silencing member compressing element is removable from the closure member.

Fig. 3 is an external plan View of a corrugated or crimped annular spring element used in the silencing member.

Fig. 4 is an external elevation of the element shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an external plan view of a ilat annular spring element used in the silencing member.

Fig. 6 is an external elevation of the element shown in Fig. 5.

1940, serieu No. 339,641

Similar reference characters refer Ito similar parts 4throughout the various views of the drawing.

Referring to Fig. l, the valve body or casing I is provided with the usual threaded inlet 2 and the threaded outlet 3 and also has its upper portion threaded -to receive the bonnet 4. The body I is also provided with a removable ported cylindrical cage 5 which is secured in position within driver or the like, is threaded, as at 9, into the l. bonnet and is provided at its lower extremity with the closure member I I which is adapted to bear against the casing seat I2 for the purpose of shutting oli the fluid ow through the Valve. Preferably surrounding and positioned adjacent to the seat I2 and within the cage 5, a plurality of annular spring elements are placed which aggregatively comprise the throttling and silencing member I3.

As tothe detailed construction of these latter elements, attention is now directed to Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6 in which the spring elements which comprise the throttling and silencing member I3 are shown separately. In Figs. 3 and 4 one type of element I4 is shown which is made preferably of suitable spring material, such as relatively thin metal, having the crimped portions or corrugations I5. Figs. 5 and 6 show another type of element I6 which is preferably made of the same material as the element I4 but which is flat. The assembly of the silencing and throttling member yI3 comprises the alternate stacking of a plurality of the elements I4 and I6 one upon the other and inserting the assembled member in the valve with the overhanging flange portion I 'I (Fig. 1) of the closure member I I bearing downwardly upon the uppermost element of the silencing and throttlingmember I3.

Again referring to Fig. l, in order to further enhancethe silent flow of uid through the valve, ythe upper portion of the casing I and the cage 5 adjacent to the bonnet 4 may be iilled, although not necessarily, with a sound absorbing or damping material I3 such as cork, sponge rubber or the like. The closure member I I, in the position shown, is bearing directly against the seat I2 forming the shut-off for the Valve, and the kflange I1 which extends radially outwardly over the throttling member I3 is holding the latter m-ember in a compressed position. It is preferable that the member I3 should be compressed substantially, but not completely, to its height when pressed solid in order to avoid impeding the movement of the closure member II in reaching its seat.

When the closure member II is in the open or partially open position fluid entering the Valve through the inlet 2 passes upwardly past the seat I2 after which it is deflected laterally by the lower surface of the closure member II through the spaces formed (by reason of the crimped portions I tending to expand the assembly consti-- .tuting the member I3) between the individual elements I4 and I6 of the silencing and throttling member. The cage 5 guides and retains the elements I4 and I6 within the valve body at all positions of the closure member and is provided with the outlet ports I9 to allow the uid passing through the silencing member to continue through the valve and to discharge through the outlet 3. Thus when the closure member II is ina throttled or slightly opened position, so as to permit a reduced flow past the seat I2, the respective spaces between each of the elements I4 and I6 are increased thus allowing iuid flow therebetween resulting in a relatively hushed ow through the valve.

Attention is now directed to Fig. 2 showing a Valve similar to that shown in Fig. 1 with the exceptions that the cage 5 is made integral with the casing I and the sound damping material I8 is omitted. Also, the compression member 2| is made separate from and detachably secured to the closure member II. Under certain service conditions, instead of having an integral flange, such as I1 in Fig. 1, an advantage may be gained by providing the relatively flexible annular compression member 2I adjustably secured to the upper surface of the closure member II by the nut 22. In the event that foreign particles become lodged in Ithe spaces between the elements I4 and I 6 when the valve is open, the closure member I I may nevertheless be lowered to the seat I 2 by reason of the upwardly directed flexing of the member 2l after the silencing member I3 has reached a height when pressed solid. The manner of operation of the valve is identical to that of the valve shown and described in connection with Fig. 1.

Attention is directed to the fact that valves presently available have the undesirable tendency to be cut and worn away at the seating Surfaces of the closure member by reason of fluid flowing therepast at high velocities when the valve is in the throttled position. Our invention substantially eliminates any cutting or wearing action at the seating surfaces because as the closure member approaches its seat the throttling and silencing member increasingly restricts the flow through the valve. Also, inasmuch as the silencing and throttling member has a relatively large opening or openings, the fluid passing therethrough has a comparatively low velocity and the tendency to cut and to erode the surfaces is substantially eliminated. i

While we have shown and described variou preferred embodiments of our invention, it is obvious to those skilled in the art that further modiiications may readily be made. Therefore, we

wish to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A valve comprising a casing having an inlet and an outlet, a closure member, a throttling and silencing member, the said latter member comprising one or more annularly disposed flexible elements surrounding the said closure member and compressible by the said closure member whereby ow through the said valve is throttled and silenced.

2. A valve comprising a casing havingan inlet y and an outlet, a closure member for the said inlet, sound absorbing material within the said casing, a combined throttling and silencing member within the said casing surrounding and in substantial axial alignment with the said closure member, the said throttling and silencing member comprising one or more annularly disposed flexible elements defining passageways for the flow of fluid through the said valve, the said closure member being capable of adjustably positioning the said throttling and silencing member to rvary the sizeof the said passageways.

3. A valve comprising a casing having an inlet and an outlet, a closure member for the said inlet, a combined throttling and silencing member within the said casing surrounding and in substantial axial alignment with the said closure member, the said throttling and silencing member comprising a plurality of superposed washerlike means forming annular passages for fluid liow through the said valve, the said washer-like means being adjustably positionable relative to the said closure member upon movement of said latter member. i

4. In a valved silencing and throttling device, comprising a casing having an inlet and an outlet, a seat at the said inlet, a surface portion surrounding the said seat, closure meansfor the said inlet comprising respectively a positive closure member for the said seat and a resilient throttling member for the said surface portion; the said throttling member comprising annularly dis-` posed stacked members adapted to bear with varied degrees of resiliency against the said surface portion upon longitudinal movement of the said closure member relative to its seat.

5. In a valved silencing and throttling device, comprising a casing having an inlet and anout.- let, a seat adjacent the said inlet, an annular surface portion surrounding the said seat, closure means for the said inlet comprising respectively a positive closure member for they said seat and a resilient throttling member, the latter normally engaging the said surface portion, the said throttling member comprising a plurality of superposed relatively thin undulated disc-like members positioned circumferentially relative to the said seat and each being independently4 movable axially relative to the said surface portion upon predetermined positioning of the said closure 

